BY KAREN BOSSICK
The Blaine County Salvation Army has raised a record amount of money for the seventh year in a row through its 2021 Red Kettle campaign.
Volunteer bell ringers raised $25,423.52 this Christmas. The money is used to benefit families in Blaine County who have needs.
“What started on a whim in 2015 has grown into a relevant event for individuals and families in need in our county,” said Richard Brown, who started the program. “We made our last deposit yesterday and it put us at $29,837.48 for the year. That’s a 17 percent increase over the $25,500 we raised last year”
This past year the organization provided a lot of rental and utility assistance and help with dental surgery and dental work. It also purchased eye glasses, bought firewood and medicine and financed car repairs, among other things.
Rental assistance now comprises between 30 percent and 40 percent of the requests for help.
Brown became involved with the Salvation Army in Houston, Texas, 17 years ago where he served as chairman of the Adult Rehabilitation Center, which house 180 men. He moved to Sun Valley full time in 2012 to run an oil and gas exploration program near Payette that in 2014 made Idaho the 35th gas producing state.
The Salvation Army in Blaine County is totally volunteer. There are no paid staff or expenses.
“My work with the Salvation Army has always been on a volunteer basis,” said Brown. “My regular paying job is in oil and gas exploration and gaming. Our family company is Weiser-Brown Oil Company in the southern United States and Snake River Oil and Gas here in Idaho.”
Anyone who knows of someone in need can email Brown at RB-WeiserBrown@comcast.net. Or, call him at 713-818-6856.
“Our goal for 2022 is to help more folks and to do it more substantially,” said Brown. “We remain blessed to be a blessing.”